Chapter 43: Performance in the Dark Night

Three minutes later, the two of them lay on the bed, sweaty and flushed.

Gu Chacha reached out and pushed Han Xuan. "Ask him quickly, is tonight okay like this?"

Han Xuan looked down at her, a greasy smirk curling at the corner of his mouth. "What? Can't wait?"

Gu Chacha couldn't help but roll her eyes at him. "You're so annoying. I'm just worried—what if it doesn't work?"

Han Xuan wasn't worried at all. The guy had been introduced to him by a friend, and they'd worked together more than once before.

He leisurely reached for his phone. "Relax, they're professionals at this. Plenty of experience."

When he opened his phone, a transfer notification popped up.

A string of six zeros gleamed brightly on the screen.

He flipped over and pinned Gu Chacha down, holding the phone in front of her face. "Take a good look for your husband—what's this?"

"Oh! It actually worked!"

Gu Chacha was thrilled at the sight of the transfer. She knew it should have been fine, but until the money hit the account, she couldn't help worrying.

She'd talked a big game in front of her family, and if this hadn't worked, wouldn't she have become a joke?

The thought of He Huanhuan laughing at her was worse than death.

But thankfully, the money was in. That meant this method was feasible.

If it worked, the guy would keep spending money to promote her.

Then she would definitely become a real pianist, a world-renowned pianist.

At the thought of that possibility, her heart surged with excitement.

She wrapped her arms around the man beneath her, her eyes sparkling as she looked at him. "Honey, I love you so much!"

Han Xuan gave a smug smile in response. "Want to go again already? You're so greedy."

The presidential suite briefly came alive with energy once more.

Meanwhile, on the roadside, Han Mo wore a serious expression as he stared at the unfamiliar text message.

[Payment sent. You're in.]

His jet-black pupils seemed to hold countless emotions before returning to calm.

He put away his phone, a faint smile curling at the corner of his mouth. "How about we head back?"

He Huanhuan nodded. "Sure."

She genuinely couldn't walk anymore now. After just two hours of walking, her calves were sore.

She had assumed "heading back" meant going home, but when the car stopped, she was surprised to find they were back at Flow Gold Hall.

Startled, she turned to look at Han Mo. "Why are we here?"

Gu Chacha's recital was over, wasn't it?

A trace of a smile rose in Han Mo's eyes. "Didn't you say you didn't know my friend? I'm bringing you to meet him."

He Huanhuan's heart inexplicably grew nervous, and she clung to the passenger seat, refusing to get out. "No need for that, is there? I think our relationship is just so-so, not at the stage of meeting friends."

But Han Mo didn't give her a chance to back out. He opened the car door directly and bent down into the vehicle.

The cramped passenger seat instantly filled with his presence. He looked at her with deep, steady eyes. "Then who are you close with? Liang Ye?"

His low voice sounded in her ear, and He Huanhuan wrinkled her nose. "Can we not bring up Liang Ye right now?"

That would really kill the mood, wouldn't it?

The smile in Han Mo's eyes deepened. He reached out, took her hand, and coaxed softly, "Come on, let's just chat. It'll be fine."

The largest hall in Flow Gold Hall was the one where Gu Chacha had just played the piano. Han Mo led her straight back there.

In the center of the audience seats sat a man in a suit.

He was lounging on the stool with his long legs crossed, looking down at them. "Coming into my territory, why aren't you paying me respect?"

Han Mo tightened his grip on He Huanhuan's hand and shot him an annoyed glance. "Possessed again?"

"Heh heh!"

The man jumped up in an instant, dashed over to them, and cheerfully extended a hand to He Huanhuan. "The True Heiress of the Gu family? Hi, I'm Fu Jingnian, Han Mo's good friend."

He Huanhuan was about to shake his hand when Han Mo pulled her back abruptly, swatting Fu Jingnian's hand away. "Did Gu Chacha and the others leave?"

Fu Jingnian rubbed the back of his hit hand and gestured with his chin toward him. "Generous as always—booked the whole day but only used it for two hours. Is the Han family loaded these days? That extravagant?"

Han Mo let out a sarcastic laugh. "Probably, but that's not my case."

He looked at Fu Jingnian. "The payment's been made, so I can use this hall, right?"

Fu Jingnian shot him a disdainful glare. "You're mooching the hall? That's so stingy."

Wasn't the guy supposed to be a trust-fund kid too?

How could he pull such a cheap move?

At least send him a little cash, so he could make some money too!

Han Mo shrugged shamelessly. "I'm unemployed now, didn't you know?"

He had no family support and no job to fall back on—why should he pretend?

Han Xuan had already paid, so he might as well take advantage of it.

Hearing this, Fu Jingnian wrinkled his nose, exasperated. "You, man!"

It wasn't like he needed that little bit of cash!

He just didn't want to make things easy for him.

Hmph, just you wait!

"The hall closes at ten. Don't make my staff work overtime."

With that, he clapped his hands and left, even thoughtfully turning off the biggest light.

The entire hall suddenly went dark.

He Huanhuan stood bewildered in the darkness. "What's this all about?"

Han Mo's voice came from right beside her, almost brushing her ear. "Didn't you want someone to sponsor you? Now you've got it."

He Huanhuan was stunned. "Han Xuan?"

That was how you wrangle a sponsorship?

Han Mo let out a helpless laugh. "How could it be him? It's me."

He Huanhuan insisted, "But it was Han Xuan who paid."

His voice came even closer, so near she could feel his breath. "If he finds out I brought you to mooch his hall, who do you think he'll come after—you or me?"

He Huanhuan swallowed. "Definitely you."

A low chuckle sounded near her ear. "So you see, this is my sponsorship to you."

He Huanhuan puffed out her cheeks. "You're really good at saving money."

The laughter in her ear grew warmer. "What can I do? I don't have a job right now..."

He Huanhuan inexplicably felt he was in an exceptionally good mood—one that seemed tied to reasons beyond her.

She tried hard to see his face in the dark. "You seem really happy..."

Before she could ask more, his hand pressed against her back. "Do you want to perform a scolding act?"

He Huanhuan quickly shook her head. "No way!"

Scolding someone in a big, dark hall would just make her look crazy.

"Then what do you want to do?"

He Huanhuan shook her head again. "I don't know."

"Then let's dance."

"But I can't..."

"Doesn't matter—dance however you like. We don't have to worry about angry audiences demanding refunds."

His hand pressed firmly against her back, guiding her step by step onto the performance stage.

It was her first time stepping onto such a stage. The soles of her shoes clicked sharply against the expensive floor.

She couldn't help feeling nervous. "Maybe we should go back down..."

In the darkness, soft music began to play.

His hand pushed her into the warmth of his embrace, his broad shoulders enveloping her completely as they swayed gently to the melody.

"See? You dance wonderfully."

His low voice, wrapped in the soft music, drifted slowly into her ear through the darkness. He Huanhuan felt as if she were starting to get dizzy.